Lou Koller, vocalist of New York hardcore band Sick Of It All, has died at 59 after a long battle with an esophageal tumor, his band announced. Bandmates said they feel “unbelievable sadness” and called Koller a beloved friend and iconic frontman who could “raise everyone’s spirits at our shows with a smile and a sarcastic comment.” Koller first revealed a cancerous tumor in his esophagus in late June 2024; Sick Of It All canceled a European tour that had been scheduled to start July 4, 2024 in the Czech Republic. A benefit concert titled “I’m In The Fight With Lou” took place November 23, 2024 at Irving Plaza and featured Vision of Disorder, Life of Agony, Municipal Waste, Killing Time and Crown of Thornz. His brother Pete Koller launched a GoFundMe that raised more than $380,000, with contributions including $5,000 apiece from AFI, Rancid and Dropkick Murphys. The band noted that 2024 would have marked Sick Of It All’s 40th anniversary and thanked everyone who supported Lou’s medical fund as his battle continued into 2025 and beyond.
